Ifeanyi Oganwu

Ifeanyi’s minimalist and futuristic vision draws on a modernist ethos informed by his architecture studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago; the Architectural Association, London; and Columbia University, New York. As an artist and designer of Nigerian origin, he is a world citizen who seeks inspiration from diverse sources across the globe. These wide-ranging influences vary from the residual undercurrents of Miesian modernism and its significance to the performative potential of materials in relation to the body, all of which operate at the intersections of art, architecture and design. He has worked for the offices of John Ronan Architects, Chicago; Zaha Hadid Architects, London; and has collaborated with the fashion design studio of Hussein Chalayan. In 2003 he joined the London-based structural engineering practice AKT II where he worked within their Parametric Applied Research Team to develop an integrated approach to explore and represent complex architectural scenarios. Throughout both his academic and professional pursuits, Ifeanyi has explored his fascination for art, culture and technology, consequently founding Expand Design and presenting the debut collection in the 2010 edition of Milan Design Week. Since then his works have been widely exhibited in Europe as well as the US, Nigeria and China. In 2013, Galerie Armel Soyer presented his first solo show Look Mum, No Hands in Paris. In 2015, the Vitra Design Museum included his Splice chair in the travelling exhibition Making Africa, A Continent of Contemporary Design with stops at Guggenheim Bilbao and the Centre of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona. Additionally, his work is featured in Vitra Design Museum's touring survey of the Bauhaus.

Ifeanyi lives and works in London.